Oct 8, 2018
Vanesa
Zendejas has been making art for as long as she can remember - even
tagging along with her dad to the art classes he was taking in
Chicago, where Vanesa was born and raised. In this
episode, she describes her process for creating her
abstract works. The majority of Vanessa's work has been in paint,
but with the addition of a kiln to the art compound at A-Z
West, where she is the Administrative Director,
she finds herself experimenting with clay, reaching back in her
memory to apply knowledge she gained from Bard College where she
earned her MFA in sculpture. Prior to attending Bard, Vanesa was
learning from a group of artists know as the 'Hairy Who' or the Chicago
Imagists at School of the Art Institute in Chicago. A
favorite place to visit in the area is Desert Christ Park - Vanessa
really likes their hair.
Vanesa
started coming to the desert for work four years ago, keeping home
and her own studio space in LA, making the weekly trek out to
Joshua Tree, staying on site three days, back to LA for four, but
eventually, decided to keep her studio in LA and make home here in
the desert. These days, the trips to LA are less frequent, about
twice a month, and the soon-to-be completed addition of her own art
studio here in the desert will give her more time for her own art
work.
We
talk about the different ways of the desert: the difference in
diversity, the difference in how 'trash' is managed, High
Desert Test Sites and those black humps dotting the
landscape on the south side of Highway 62, traveling toward 29Palms
and how you can go visit them. Or visit another favorite of
Vanesa's: Desert Christ Park in Yucca
Valley ~ Vanesa really likes the sculptures hair.
Recently married, Vanesa and her husband reside
in 29 Palms and expect the desert will be more of a respite between
visits to her native Chicago, and Neil's roots in
Montreal.